John Jonchuck appears before Judge Chris Helinger during the fourth day of jury selection on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater. [SCOTT KEELER | Times]

Here’s what to know about the John Jonchuck trial

After four years, John Jonchuck is finally set to stand trial on a charge that he murdered his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, by dropping her from a bridge into the cold water of Tampa Bay.

Soon after his arrest in the early hours of Jan. 8, 2015, Jonchuck was deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial. He has received medication ever since in the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center outside Gainesville. Doctors say he is now ready for court.

There is no doubt he did it. A police officer, just off a late shift, saw the then 25-year-old father drop his little girl over the edge. Jonchuck in court records admitted he did it and has described voices that urged him to kill her.

Phoebe fell 62 feet, a few horrifying seconds before she hit the water. But the story begins much earlier, sweeping across generations of domestic strife, drugs, religious fixation and violence. It all led to one moment, on top of the bridge, and the still unanswered question of whether John Jonchuck knew what he was doing was wrong.

If you find that (defendant) committed the crime but you find by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant was insane, then you should find [him] [her] not guilty by reason of insanity.

Jury instructions on insanity

John Jonchuck was in court for a pretrial hearing on Thursday, March 14. [DIRK SHADD | Times]

Jonchuck timeline

John Nicholas Jonchuck Jr. was born in Tampa in 1989 and had a tumultuous childhood. His mother left him around the time he was 5 in the care of an uncle before his father came back to raise him. At 12, he attacked his father, though he said it was in self defense. As a young adult, Jonchuck was arrested multiple times and charged with domestic violence against his mom and Phoebe’s mom . He also has a documented history of drug and alcohol abuse. He has been involuntarily committed 27 times under the Baker Act, which is used when you are deemed a danger to yourself or others.

John Jonchuck Jr.'s mug shots. Row one: May 2008, May 2010, February 2012 and January 2013. Row two: May 2013, June 2013, November 2013 and January 2015.

The events before and after Phoebe’s death

Jan. 1, 2015

During the first week of January, John texts six people asking them to forgive him. No one responds. He also becomes obsessed with his stepmom’s Swedish Bible and spreads salt around the doorways to keep out evil spirits. He tells his stepmom Phoebe is a demon.

The antique Swedish Bible found in John Jonchuck's backpack after he was arrested and charged with killing Phoebe. [Courtesy of the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office]

Jan. 7, 2015

John’s lawyer, Genevieve Torres, calls DCF, saying that he is delusional and has a child with him. Since John is at his stepmom’s house, and his stepmom also is there with Phoebe, DCF decides not to investigate. Later, John takes Phoebe to three churches, begging priests for an exorcism. When he comes out of one priest’s office, Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies are waiting. But the priest says John isn’t a danger to himself or anyone else. So they let him go. That night, he and Phoebe eat dinner with his parents and his mom, and fall asleep on the couch. About 10 p.m., his dad and stepmom hear the front door open.

Jan. 8, 2015

Around midnight, a policeman sees John speeding toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and pulls behind him, lights flashing. When John stops, the officer watches as he carries Phoebe to the bridge railing — and drops her into Tampa Bay. A rescue crew later finds her body floating. John leads police on a high-speed chase across the bridge and is eventually arrested and charged with murder, assault, fleeing and eluding police. Officers hold him for a mental evaluation. That night, the DCF secretary calls for an investigation into how Phoebe’s previous cases were handled.

July 15, 2015

The officer who watched John drop Phoebe, then tried to find her, is rewarded for his rescue efforts.